Unbelievable Luxury Awaits: Royal Fine Hotel Kaohsiung's Hidden Gem!
Unbelievable Luxury Awaits: Royal Fine Hotel Kaohsiung's Hidden Gem! (A Review That Got Real)
Okay, people, let's be honest. I'm not one for flowery descriptions. I like my hotels like I like my coffee: strong and honest. So, I just got back from the Royal Fine Hotel in Kaohsiung, and guess what? Woah. Seriously. Buckle up, because this isn't your average cookie-cutter review. This is the raw, unfiltered truth.
First off, this “Unbelievable Luxury Awaits” claim? Yeah, they're not lying. The lobby? Gleaming. The staff? Attentive without being too much – you know, that awkward hovering thing some fancy hotels do? Nope. They nailed the balance. (Services and conveniences: Concierge, Doorman, Front desk [24-hour], Daily housekeeping. Check, check, check!)
Accessibility (and the Lack of My Own, Initially…): Right, so, I booked this for myself, which meant I immediately forgot about accessibility. I am not disabled. But! The website does mention Facilities for disabled guests – I was curious, so I had a quick look, apparently they did very good job. Good on them.
Rooms: My Oasis of "OMG, This Bed…": Okay, let's talk about the rooms. **(Available in all rooms: Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Bathrobes, Bathroom phone, Bathtub, Blackout curtains, Closet, Coffee/tea maker, Complimentary tea, Daily housekeeping, Desk, Extra long bed, Free bottled water, Hair dryer, High floor, In-room safe box, Interconnecting room(s) available, Internet access – LAN, Internet access – wireless, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Linens, Mini bar, Mirror, Non-smoking, On-demand movies, Private bathroom, Reading light, Refrigerator, Safety/security feature, Satellite/cable channels, Scale, Seating area, Separate shower/bathtub, Shower, Slippers, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed, Sofa, Soundproofing, Telephone, Toiletries, Towels, Umbrella, Visual alarm, Wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free], Window that opens) ** I was in the Deluxe, and honestly, I think I could live in the bathtub. Seriously. It was enormous. And the bed? Oh. My. God. It's like sleeping on a cloud woven from the dreams of angels. I spent a solid two days just existing in that bed. (Okay, maybe slightly exaggerated, but you get the gist). The Blackout curtains were a godsend, and the complimentary tea and free bottled water were a lifesaver after exploring the city. The Internet access was solid – Wi-Fi [free] and also Internet access – LAN for those who are so inclined and In-room safe box. Though, can anyone ever figure out how to actually use those things?
Internet Access (and the Curse of the Digital Nomad): Oh, right, internet. Internet, Internet [LAN], Internet services, Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!, Wi-Fi in public areas. Honestly, it worked perfectly. Fast, reliable. I even managed to do a video call without my connection collapsing into a digital pile of pixels. A win! I mean, let's face it, in this age of digital dependence, a hotel's Wi-Fi is everything. Thank the hotel gods for not giving me any trouble.
Cleanliness & Safety (Post-Pandemic Panic Settled): Alright, this is where I got super impressed. **(Cleanliness and safety: Anti-viral cleaning products, Cashless payment service, Daily disinfection in common areas, Doctor/nurse on call, First aid kit, Hand sanitizer, Hot water linen and laundry washing, Hygiene certification, Individually-wrapped food options, Physical distancing of at least 1 meter, Professional-grade sanitizing services, Room sanitization opt-out available, Rooms sanitized between stays, Safe dining setup, Sanitized kitchen and tableware items, Shared stationery removed, Staff trained in safety protocol, Sterilizing equipment) ** They. Nailed. It. There were hand sanitizer stations everywhere. The staff wore masks (as did I, obviously). And I actually felt safe. They took things seriously without being overbearing. I even saw them disinfecting the elevator buttons! Talk about attention to detail. Felt like a well-oiled machine, running smoothly. And the option to opt-out of room sanitization? Genius.
Dining, Drinking & Snacking (My Belly's Guide): Okay, food. This is where things got interesting. **(Dining, drinking, and snacking: A la carte in restaurant, Alternative meal arrangement, Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant, Bar, Bottle of water, Breakfast [buffet], Breakfast service, Buffet in restaurant, Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop, Desserts in restaurant, Happy hour, International cuisine in restaurant, Poolside bar, Restaurants, Room service [24-hour], Salad in restaurant, Snack bar, Soup in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, Western breakfast, Western cuisine in restaurant) ** The buffet breakfast was… well, it was a buffet breakfast. Standard fare, but they actually had decent coffee. Okay, the truth? I'm not a buffet person, I am a particular eater, in the morning. But there was plenty of options. And… wait for it…the Room service [24-hour] was a lifesaver, and I was really impressed how fast it got to my room.
But now for my favourite: The poolside bar. Picture this: After a long day wandering Kaohsiung, you find yourself at the swimming pool [outdoor], the sun setting, a gentle breeze, and a perfectly crafted cocktail in your hand. Pure. Bliss. The pool itself is gorgeous, Pool with view.
Things to Do & Ways to Relax (Because I Deserved it): I went with the pool and some serious chill time, what with all that eating. (Things to do & ways to relax: Body scrub, Body wrap, Fitness center, Foot bath, Gym/fitness, Massage, Pool with view, Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom, Swimming pool, Swimming pool [outdoor]) My intention was to hit the Fitness center at least once, but… let's just say the bed won out. Maybe next time! But they had a Spa! And I did not book this. Damn. I regret!
(A brief tangent on the absurdity of trying to maintain your “healthy lifestyle” while on holiday…)
Getting Around (Because I got Lost!) (Getting around: Airport transfer, Bicycle parking, Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station, Taxi service, Valet parking) I did not drive. I wanted to be a tourist, not a driver. They did offer all sorts of options, from Airport transfer to gasp Valet parking! I just went with the Taxi service, which was super easy to flag down, or so I felt!
For the Kids (Because I Think About These Things): (For the kids: Babysitting service, Family/child friendly, Kids facilities, Kids meal) I did not bring children, sadly. So I could not give them the real test, but they certainly seemed very family-friendly, judging by the pictures!
The Quirks (Because Every Hotel Has Them): Okay, a couple of things that weren't perfect. The elevator was sometimes a tiny bit slow. And the lighting in the bathroom was… aggressive. Like, interrogation room levels of bright. But honestly? That's it. Minor quibbles, quickly forgotten.
My Verdict: Go. Just Go.
(Everything Else: Check-in/out [express], Check-in/out [private]) Listen. I'm picky. Seriously picky. And the Royal Fine Hotel Kaohsiung impressed me. It’s not just the luxury; it's the whole package. The staff, the cleanliness, and the sheer comfort transformed my trip into a memorable getaway of pure indulgence.
This is for you if: You want a luxurious, comfortable stay. You want a hotel that prioritizes safety and hygiene. You want to be pampered. And you want to sleep in a bed that feels like you're floating.
You might skip it if: You're on a super-tight budget (though, honestly, the value is amazing for what you get). You hate good service. And you only want to use the stairs because… you need the exercise! (I'll be honest… if you need to work out in the bathroom, this place isn't for you)
Final Score: Stellar. 9.5/10. Minus half a point for the aggressive bathroom lighting, and another half for my complete lack of self-discipline in the face of that bed. Go. Book it. Now.
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Royal Fine Hotel Kaohsiung: My Chaotic, Mostly Delicious, Taiwanese Adventure (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Stinky Tofu)
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your slick travel brochure. This is me, spilling my guts and documenting my sojourn at the Royal Fine Hotel Kaohsiung. Prepare for a rollercoaster of sensory overload, questionable decisions, and the kind of existential dread only a bout of jet lag can conjure.
Day 1: Arrival, Anxiety, and the Promise of Pineapple Cakes (aka, The Gentle Descent into Madness)
1:00 PM - Landing at Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH): Ugh. The airport. The sheer humidity hit me like a slap in the face the second I stepped off the plane. I immediately regretted wearing that linen shirt. It was clinging to me like a lovesick gecko. Passport control was surprisingly efficient (thank God, I haven't slept in, like, 24 hours), but the baggage claim was a free-for-all of jostling tourists. My bag, bless its nylon soul, emerged looking slightly… battered.
2:00 PM - Taxi to the Royal Fine Hotel: The taxi ride was a blur of neon signs, scooters weaving through traffic like kamikaze bees, and my burgeoning anxiety about not knowing a single word of Mandarin. Our driver, a kindly looking older gentleman, kept chattering away in what I assumed was Kaohsiungian. I just smiled and nodded. He probably thought I was a gibbering idiot. He wasn't wrong.
2:30 PM - Check-in and the First Fumble: Okay, the hotel itself? Gorgeous. Seriously, the lobby was all gleaming marble and hushed elegance. My room? Decent, clean, and with a surprisingly good view of… well, a building. The first problem arose when I tried to figure out the electronic keycard. I wrestled with it for a good five minutes, convinced I was doing something wrong. Turns out, I was just an idiot.
3:00 PM - Conquering the Local Convenience Store: Fueled by desperation and a rapidly approaching caffeine crash, I ventured out in search of sustenance. 7-Eleven to the rescue! I spent what felt like an eternity browsing the aisles, utterly bewildered by the array of unfamiliar snacks. I ended up with a bottle of something vaguely resembling a yogurt drink (delicious!), a bag of unidentified chips (salty, but not unpleasant), and a pack of what looked like miniature pineapple cakes. These, my friends, were the gateway drug to my Taiwanese addiction. They were divine. Warm, buttery, and bursting with tropical goodness. I ate three in one sitting. No regrets.
5:00 PM - Poolside Regret? The hotel pool was calling my name. After the first steps in the pool, I realized I forgot a towel and my swimsuits were at the bottom of my luggage. I didn't end up going in the pool at all.
7:00 PM - Dinner Disaster and the Rise of Stinky Tofu (A Love Story in Progress): I decided to be brave and eat like a local. I wandered around the streets near the hotel, lured by the enticing aromas (and the occasional, pungent stench). That's when I saw it. A street vendor, frying cubes of something aggressively odorous. This was stinky tofu, the legendary Taiwanese dish. I hesitated. I cringed. I almost ran away. But something – maybe the jet lag delirium, maybe a touch of masochism – made me order a plate. And you know what? It wasn't that bad. I mean, the smell was… intense. Like sweaty gym socks marinated in garbage. But the taste? Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and surprisingly savory. I ate the whole plate and then, weirdly, craved more. My relationship with stinky tofu: complicated, but promising.
9:00 PM - The Language Barrier Blues: Attempted to navigate the hotel's TV remote. Failed. Miserably. Settled for watching a Taiwanese soap opera, occasionally punctuated by my own confused internal monologue. "Wait, is that a wedding? Are they fighting? Is that stinky tofu in their hands?" I understand absolutely nothing.
10:00 PM - Collapse: Passed out on the bed, fully clothed, dreaming of pineapple cakes and the lingering aroma of… well, you know.
Day 2: Temple Temples, Shopping Sprees, and the Unbearable Lightness of Having No Idea What I'm Doing
- 9:00 AM - Breakfast Buffet Bonanza: The hotel breakfast buffet was a revelation. A glorious spread of Taiwanese and Western delights. I piled my plate high with noodles, congee, dim sum, and enough fruit to keep me going until next week. I also attempted, and failed, to master the art of chopsticks.
- 10:00 AM - Fo Guang Shan Monastery: Awe and a Moment of Existential Dread: Took a taxi to the Fo Guang Shan Monastery, it's a massive, stunning complex. The Golden Buddha, the serene atmosphere, the sheer scale of it all was breathtaking. It's a spiritual assault on the senses, honestly. And then… BAM. I started thinking about the meaning of life and the fragility of existence. Heavy stuff, especially before noon. Sat on a bench, watched some monks go about their business, and had a brief, but intense, moment of existential dread. But, I also realized I left my sunglasses in the taxi. Sigh.
- 1:00 PM - Shopping at Central Park: Wandered through Central Park, feeling a bit lost. The park felt like another world, there were markets, vendors, crowds and a large shopping area. I started feeling completely lost.
- 3:00 PM - The MRT Adventure (aka, Getting Semi-Lost in Translation): Brave souls! I decided to venture onto the Kaohsiung MRT. This was good, maybe I could get my bearings? The signage was in English, which was helpful. The people were nice. I made it to… a station near my hotel without getting completely lost! Success! (Though, I still have no idea how to use the ticketing system or what half the announcements mean.)
- 5:00 PM - Stinky Tofu Revisited (Proof That I'm a Complete Lunatic): Back at the same street vendor. Ordered another plate of stinky tofu. This time, I ate it with gusto, savoring every crispy, pungent bite. What has become of me?
- 7:00 PM - Trying to Find a Nice Restaurant: Went on a quest for dinner. I saw an Italian restaurant and a Sushi Restaurant, with the language barrier, and the lack of confidence in my decision-making process, I ended up eating the sushi and it wasn't bad.
- 9:00 PM - More TV, More Confusion, More Pineapple Cakes: Back in my room. The same ritual. Different channel. More pineapple cakes. Repeat until unconscious.
Day 3: Farewell to Kaohsiung (and Hello to The Fear of Leaving)
- 9:00 AM - Breakfast Round Two: More buffet. More noodles. More fruit.
- 10:00 AM - Last-Minute Souvenir Hunt: Panicked shopping spree for souvenirs. Found some beautiful tea sets, some cute little cat figurines, and a whole new appreciation for the art of bargaining. Ended up spending way too much money. Worth it.
- 12:00 PM - Packing and Existential Panic: Packing. The beginning of the end. I felt a pang of sadness knowing I had to leave. I didn't want to leave.
- 1:00 PM - Lunch. Stinky Tofu, Obviously. Just one last plate. For the road.
- 2:00 PM - Taxi to the Airport and a Final, Pensive Glance Back… Airport shuffle. Plane. The realization sinks in: My time in Kaohsiung, that bizarre, beautiful, and slightly pungent whirlwind, is over. I already miss the pineapple cakes. And, dare I say it, the stinky tofu. I think… I'm going to be back here one day.
Final Thoughts:
Kaohsiung, you weird, wonderful, utterly bewildering place. You challenged me, confused me, and filled my stomach with delicious, questionable things. You reminded me to say yes to new experiences, even if they smell like old socks. The Royal Fine Hotel? A comfortable base amid the chaos. And me? I'm a little bit changed. (And probably smell faintly of stinky tofu.)
Until next time, Taiwan. Until next time.
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Unbelievable Luxury Awaits: Royal Fine Hotel Kaohsiung's Hidden Gem! - Uh, Maybe? Let's Dive In...
Okay, so *really*... is the Royal Fine Hotel Kaohsiung as unbelievably luxurious as it claims? I mean, the website…
Alright, deep breath. The website? Yeah, they know how to work the angles, don't they? Champagne flutes glistening, infinity pools that look like they’re made of space dust… It's beautiful. The *reality*? Okay, buckle up. It *is* nice. Really nice. But "unbelievable" luxury? That depends on your definition. I'm a budget traveler mostly, so for me, it was freaking opulent. Think fluffy robes you could practically get lost in, a bed that whispered sweet nothings to my weary bones... and a rainfall shower that almost made me cry happy tears. Almost.
But then there’s the chipped tile in the bathroom (minor, but noticeable) and the slightly wonky Wi-Fi. I’m talking about the little things, okay? Nothing earth-shattering, but they just... gently reminded you that you're *not* living in a fantasy. And honestly? Sometimes, those little imperfections are kind of charming, ya know? Makes it feel, you know, human.
What about the rooms? What kind of view can you expect? Because "city view" can mean anything, right? Like, a brick wall view?
Okay, the view. This is where things get... interesting. I booked a "superior city view." And honestly? It was pretty darn good! I was on a higher floor (thank you, sweet booking gods!), and I had a sweeping panorama of Kaohsiung. Skyscrapers, the river, even a glimpse of a mountain range in the distance. It wasn't a *perfect* view – there was a rather ugly office building smack-dab in the middle of it – but hey, you can’t win 'em all.
But a friend of mine? She got the "city view" on a lower floor. Think closer to the street. She spent most of her stay admiring the air conditioning units on the neighboring building. So, lesson learned: *ask* for a higher floor. Or, you know, bribe them. I'm not judging.
The breakfast buffet. The most important meal, right? Is it worth getting out of that incredibly comfy bed for?
Alright, breakfast. This is a big one. Because let’s be real, the breakfast buffet can *make or break* a hotel experience. And the Royal Fine? It's... good. Really good. Not mind-blowing amazing, but solid. The usual suspects are there: eggs (omelet station!), bacon, sausage, pastries, fruit, cereal… But it was the *little* things that made it. Like the fresh mango smoothies (OMG!), and the beautifully presented dim sum. Yum.
But here’s a story. One morning? I was *late*. Like, *really* late. I stumbled down half-asleep, and the good stuff was… gone. No more mango smoothies! Tears started welling up. I may or may not have whined to a waiter. He, bless his soul, took pity on me and magically produced some fresh fruit for me. Saved! So yeah, go early. Or be prepared to beg.
What about the pool? Is it as Instagrammable as it looks? Because I'm all about the photo ops.
The pool... oh, the pool! It's pretty darn Instagrammable, I'll give them that. It's on the rooftop, overlooking the city, with those perfectly placed sun loungers. I saw several influencers doing their thing, you know, the poses, the angles... and honestly, good for them. It's a gorgeous pool. The water was a perfect temperature for floating.
But here's the thing. It got *crowded*. Like, really crowded. Towards the afternoon, you were practically bumping elbows with other guests, vying for space and trying to get a decent shot. So, again: go early. Or, you know, go late. Or, if you're like me, you just accept that you're going to be photo-bombed by a guy with a questionable Speedo. It happens.
The Spa! Did you get a massage? Was it heavenly? Because a good massage can make or break a trip…
Okay, the spa. YES. Did I get a massage? Absolutely. And was it heavenly? God, yes. I'm not going to lie, it was beyond amazing, I got the Aroma massage. The pressure was perfect, the essential oils smelled like paradise, and I swear, I drifted off to another dimension. When I woke up, I felt like a brand-new me, like all my worries had just melted away.
And the music! Soft. The lighting! Dim. The therapist? Professional and skilled. The whole experience was… well, I’m getting goosebumps even thinking about it. If you do one thing at this hotel, get a massage. Just do it. Your body (and your soul) will thank you. I'm still dreaming about it now. I'm thinking I might need to go back just for the spa...
Okay, real talk. What's the one thing you *didn't* like? Because every place has a downside.
Alright, alright, let's get real. My biggest gripe? The check-in process. It was… slow. Really slow. They seemed to be understaffed, and there was a bit of a queue, and I was tired and grumpy after a long flight. It took a good 20 minutes to get everything sorted. Not a deal-breaker, but after a long travel day, you want to get to your room, you want to change your clothes and you want to collapse on your bed! And just get there, please. Just... please.
Would you go back? Give it to me straight.
Okay, am I going back? Absolutely, yes. Check-in process be damned. Chipped tile, be gone. Yes. Yes, I would. Because the good stuff? The incredibly comfy bed, the delicious breakfast, the amazing spa, the views, and the overall feeling of being pampered? Those things outweigh the negatives. It’s a great hotel, and a great experience. And yeah, I’m already planning my return trip. Mainly for the massage. And maybe the mango smoothies. Don’t tell anyone.
Is it family-friendly?
Hmm, family-friendly... It seemed so. I saw a few families enjoying the poolPremium Stay Search
